Our Androcentric Culture, or The Man Made World

and law-enforcers, under the plain historic fact that th

consciously and fulfill by arbitrary systems called laws and governments. In this, as in all other fields of our action, we must discriminate between the humanness of the function in process of development, and the in

ntered group organized on maternal lines of common love and service. The early combinations of men

make this clear to their fellows; whereby, gradually, our higher social nature establishes rules and precedent

evil" in the play being the old Ego, which has to be harmonized with the new social spirit. This social process, like all others,

minance and mastery. We may instance the contrast between the conduct of a man when "in love" and while courting; in which period he falls into the natural position of his sex towards the other-namely, that of a wooer; and his behavior when, with marriage, t

Under its pressure we see the legal systems and forms of government slowly evolving, the general human growth always heavily perverted by the special masculine influence. First we find the mere force of custom governing us, the mores of the ancient people. Then come

and cares only to evade it when he can, obey it when he must. In the household, that stunted, crippled rudiment of the matriarchate, where alone we can find what is left of the natural influe

a man breaks a law of which he never heard he is not excused therefore; the penalty rolls on just the same. Fancy a mother making solemn

oppose, to fight, to trample to the earth, to triumph in loud bellowings of savage joy,-these are the primitive male instincts; and the perfectly natural social instinct which leads to peaceful persuasion, to education, t

r and executive. From the guarding and guidance of her cubs and kittens up to the longer, larg

d with us, fatherhood having become socialized while motherhood has not, he

These heavy forces reach their most perfect expression in the absolutely masculine field of warfare. The absolute authority; the brainless, voiceless obedience; the relentless penalty. Here we have male coerc

lect the fit; her eliminati

is the human process

ve carried as best they might the burdens of the state; and the history of law and governm

r harems. But the day of the masculine monarchy is passing, and the day of the human democracy is coming in. In a Democracy Law and Government both change. Laws are no longer imposed on the people by one above them, but are evolved from the people

hority from one above, but is an organization for public servic

't, but because we want to play the game. The rules of human conduct are for our own happiness and service-any child can see that. Every child will see it when laws are simplified, based on sociology, and taught in schools. A chil

"What i

y we agree to pay to keep

hy do we al

ongs to all of us, and we must

at proportion d

how much money we have."

at is it to

." (Sotto voce: "And

"-only recently outgrown, to our present method, where each contending party hires a champion to represent him, and these fight

ent as service. That it should be a representative government they grasp, but representative of what? of the common will, they

They cannot bear to think of the woman as having control over even their own affairs; to control is masculine, they assume. Seeing only self-interest as a natural impulse, and the ruling powers of the s

fierce struggle; each man seeking for himself. To deliberately legislate for the service of all the people, to use the governme

,-women cannot fight, and in case their laws were resisted by

think, is that women should not share the loot wh

arly the social hered

Hunter. Then the second head-ship, the Chief Fighter. Then the third head-ship, the Chief of t

the ages, from frank piracy and robbery to the measured toll of tribute, ransom and indemnity, we see the same natural instinct of the hunter and fighter. In his hands

t is-why not run the state on that basis? Government by women, so far as it is influenced by their sex, would be influenced by motherhood; and that would mean care, nurture, provision, education. We have to go far down the scale for any instance of

n of the species. In this human process we should never forget that men are far more advanced than women, at

er than the male for administration of constructive social interests. The change in governmental processes which marks our times is a change in principle. Two great movem

he growing strength and riches of the social body as merely so much the more to fatten on; now we are beginning to take an intelligent interes

interests, which is a growing and improving method of universal service. Here the socialist is perfectly right in his vision of the economic welfare to be assured by the socialization of industry,

woman only as a female, utterly absorbed in feminine functions, belittled and ignored as her long tutelage has made

ll-organized, wisely managed, in which the laws shall be simple and founded on constructive principles instead of being a set of ring-regulations within which people may fight as they will; and in which t